(WLRN)
Hip-hop, Islamic culture and the community of Opa-locka intersected on Saturday during a block party held at the Opa-locka Arts and Recreation Center.
The event, Hip Hoppa Locka, was a culmination of a two-week residency program by Miami Dade College's Live Arts in which Muslim artists taught students from the Arts Academy of Excellence Charter School hip-hop-inspired styles of art, dance and music.
MDC Live Arts has brought performers from around the world to perform in Miami-Dade County since 1990. Director Kathryn Garcia said the organization wanted to expose the community to Islamic culture in an attempt to curb negative stereotypes associated with Muslims.